This invention relates to a surgical apparatus and method for performing circumcisions. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus to facilitate the removal of excess foreskin from the penis during circumcision, while applying stitches to the cut area of the skin to reduce bleeding.
The surgical procedure of circumcision has been performed for centuries for both religious and medical reasons. Different cultures have employed various instruments for performing this procedure wherein the excess foreskin is removed. The procedure is performed on babies, as well as adults, the latter being most often performed for health reasons.
The major concern during the procedure is bleeding from the severed blood vessels and possibility of an infection. Conventional procedure normally takes about 20 to 30 minutes; a surgeon performs the incision and then applies stitches or sutures to the remaining portion of the foreskin to stop the bleeding. The more experienced and skilled the surgeon is, the less likely complications will arise following the circumcision.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with prior art instruments and circumcision devices and provision of an apparatus for performing circumcisions, which will facilitate cutting and stitching of the foreskin in a rapid succession, minimizing the possibility of errors and complications in the procedure.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and procedure for performing circumcisions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and procedure for removing excess foreskin from the penis while reducing the bleeding from the cut blood vessels by applying stitches to the cut surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and procedure for performing circumcision, which is simple to use and which minimizes the possibility of errors during the surgery.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a provision of a circumcision apparatus and method for removing excess foreskin of a penis. The apparatus is comprised of a first and second hollow cylindrical members telescopically engageable with each other. The first cylindrical member carries an outwardly extending circular blade for severing the foreskin about a circumferential cut. The second cylindrical member has a stapling device mounted inside the hollow member.
The stapling device has a stapling mechanism located adjacent a proximate end thereof, such that the stapling mechanism is located above the area of the circumferential cut. A handle of the stapling device and an activation lever extend outwardly from the second cylindrical member, allowing a surgeon to activate the stapling action almost simultaneously with severing the foreskin (stapling is done just prior to cutting).
The stapling mechanism has a source of staples in a stapling housing unit; the staples are tissue-absorbable staples that do not require removal after the cut skin has been cut.
In operation, the excess foreskin is pushed back from the head of the penis to lie against the outer wall of the first cylindrical member, with the skin layer contacting the outer wall. The first cylindrical member is rotated to sever the excess foreskin and the stapling mechanism is activated to close the cut and push mucous and the skin layers together to reduce the bleeding.
The second cylindrical member is then withdrawn, carrying the excess foreskin away from the patient""s body. A surgical dressing is applied to the cut area for a specified time, for instance two days, after which time the cut foreskin is allowed to fully heal.